FOXES FLY HIGH
Iheanacho on the spot to sink City
MANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola praised his makeshift team after they were beaten by a late Leicester penalty from Kelechi Iheanacho in the Community Shield at Wembley yesterday.
With many established stars missing through injury or late returns from their summer exertions — and Jack Grealish waiting in the wings — City boss Guardiola named an unfamiliar line-up at Wembley and gave teenagers Sam Edozie and Cole Palmer a chance to impress.
When Iheanacho thumped home his 89th-minute penalty past Zack Steffen, they celebrated with gusto at the Leicester end. As well they might. When Kasper Schmeichel raised the shield, they roared their approval.
‘I would have loved to win the game,’ said Guardiola, who has lifted the Community Shield twice.
‘Congratulations to Leicester for the victory, but the performance was really good. At this stage of the season, and to play the young guys, was excellent.
‘With a little bit of luck and with better decisions in the final third we could have scored. But with all the players out, the players who have trained together the last two weeks have been exceptional.
‘We were so good. That is the first step to try again and compete this season.’
In truth, despite the cameo of £100million man Grealish, who was greeted with equally huge cheers and boos from rival fans as befits his status as most expensive Englishman and modern-day maverick, it was Leicester who looked the more Premier-League ready.
And it was Harvey Barnes who, until his departure in the 78th minute, was responsible for much of that superiority. He was a constant thorn in City’s side and, after a series of mazy runs which left Joao Cancelo eventually resorting to an old-fashioned shoulder block,
Having missed the last three months of the last season with two operations on his knee, he shone throughout the first half. Indeed, his combination with Ryan Bertrand, impressing after his summer move from Southampton, look like being a productive outlet this season.
All in all, the Community Shield often feels like a match too soon and, given the emotional intensity of the summer, that felt even more the case here. Nevertheless, both sides conspired to produce a decent match even it if took until the 86th minute for the decisive moment to emerge.
Nathan Ake was dwelling on the ball when Iheanacho hounded him down and nicked it away. As he fell, Ake made a grab for his opponent’s shorts and then desperately kicked out, striking his backside.
Was it an involuntarily act caused by his temporary discombobulation or a deliberate foul? Referee Paul Tierney decided on the latter and Fernandinho argued the case so strongly for the former, he earned yellow card.
The Community Shield may not be the biggest competition in the game but that didn’t matter to Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers.
‘Both teams are here on merit and wanted to win,’ said the former
Celtic manager. ‘We know it’s the end of the pre-season and players are still looking for fitness, but in the last few years it’s become a prominent trophy and that’s the mindset we want to bring to the team and the club.
‘The guys showed great spirit, great quality and eventually got the winning goal. We had a great feeling coming here on the back of the FA Cup final and it was a great occasion.’
Barnes stole the show. He had already exposed City’s vulnerabilities when he teed up a 24th-minute shot, which fell to Vardy, whose striker was pushed away by Zack Steffen.
Eighteen-year-old Edozie had a great opportunity to make a name for himself in the 28th minute, played in by Ilkay Gundogan, but he blazed his shot wide. With fellow teenager Palmer, 19, buzzing around behind Ferran Torres, who was playing centre-forward, City’s makeshift attack had a raw energy yet a youthful naivety about it.
Vardy must have thought his opening goal of the season was imminent just before half-time. James Maddison touched the ball to Barnes, who in turn crossed for Vardy. Eight yards out, with a clear sight of goal, Vardy connected cleanly but without sufficient power, striking across Steffen. But the City goalkeeper managed to get a touch with his leg to direct the ball on to the far post.
A penalty shoot-out loomed large but Iheanacho struck from the spot at the death for the Foxes. LEICESTER (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel; Pereira, Amartey, Soyuncu, Bertrand (Thomas 78), Ndidi, Tielemans (Soumane 72), Perez (Albrighton 71), Maddison (Dewsbury-Hall 71), Banres (Iheanacho 79); Vardy (Daka 71). Subs (not used): Ward, Benkovic, Choudhury, Thomas. Booked: Bertrand. MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Steffen; Cancelo, Dias, Ake, Mendy; Palmer (Silva 74), Fernandinho, Gundogan (Rodri 65); Mahrez, Torres (Knight 74, Edozie (Grealish 65). Subs (not used): Carson, Sandler, Doyle, Gomes, Couto Booked: Dias, Fernandinho.
Referee: Paul Tierney.